WASHINGTON, April 9 (UPI) -- On March 27 in Moscow, officials from Gazprom and the State Oil Co. of Azerbaijan Republic signed a memorandum of understanding providing that discussions between the two energy giants would begin at an unspecified date on the shipment of an unspecified quantity of Azeri gas to Russia starting in January 2010. While the specifics of the agreement have yet to be elaborated, the memorandum represents a potential seismic shift in the strategic tussle between the Kremlin and the West over the future energy assets, as events of the past year have demonstrated both Russia's reviving influence over the region and the West's relative inability to forestall it.

WASHINGTON, June 12 (UPI) -- Since Sept. 11, 2001, the Bush administration has pursued a "global war on terror" and a mission to advance democracy around the world. The latter campaign, however, elicits muffled criticism when an oil-rich state is holding elections, even in the former Evil Empire post-Soviet space.

WASHINGTON, June 6 (UPI) -- The peaceful implosion of the Soviet Union in December 1991 completely changed the geography of the Caspian Sea region: Where Iran had previously shared the Caspian with the Soviet Union, in its place arose four new states -- the Russian Federation, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- Opposition parties in Azerbaijan are boycotting their parliamentary seats and calling for new elections, alleging fraud in this month's voting.

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Azerbaijan's ruling party appears to be the winner of parliamentary elections, with half of the votes counted, an election official said Monday.

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Dec. 14 (UPI) -- The body of former Azerbaijan president Heydar Aliyev was flown home to the capital of Baku as a week of mourning officially began Sunday.

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Aug. 10 (UPI) -- Pressure is mounting in Azerbaijan for the resignation of Prime Minister Ilham Aliyev, who is also the son of the country's president.